Latest news with #HouseBill167
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Governor signs 'Vermonters Feeding Vermonters' grant program
MONTPELIER, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Vermont farmers and hungry Vermonters will soon have an easier time finding each other. Governor Phil Scott signed House Bill 167 (H. 167) on Tuesday, a bill that provides state support for the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program of the Vermont Foodbank, a food bank that buys directly from local farmers by agreeing to a set price, quantity, and delivery schedule before the growing season. Read the full text of the bill hereDownload The bill says in part: 'Food insecurity in Vermont, and across the country, has increased in recent years after a decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic… for local food purchased from Vermont farms, every dollar spent contributes an additional $0.60 to the local economy.' Vermont Foodbank shows off new renovations The Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program bought over 5.7 million pounds of food from 299 Vermont farms in 2025. In addition to providing annual grants to the program, the bill also allows subgrants to community partners who buy directly from smaller local farms and farm stands. The bill also requires an annual administrative report to the legislature in March. It will come into effect July 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Child care tax credit for businesses introduced in Ohio House
(File photo by Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent). A new bill introduced in the Ohio House would create a business tax credit for child care benefits similar to a federal credit the bill's sponsor says is underutilized. State Rep. Andrea White, R-Kettering, told the House Ways and Means Committee said the tax credit in House Bill 167 would offer a stronger incentive for employers than the federal tax credit does, by bridging a gap in the federal funds available for businesses. The tax credit would also be another attempt to stem a problem that covers all of Ohio, from urban centers to rural regions. 'Let's try something, let's get something going to see how we can get our employers engaged,' White told the committee. H.B. 167 would authorize a nonrefundable tax credit for an employer providing 'certain child care benefits' to employees, allows the credit to be claimed against other taxes like income or the commercial activity tax, and creates eligibility for costs 'associated with establishing or operating an employer-owned child care facility, contracting with a child care facility, or paying employees for the provision of their own child care. Under the current language of the bill, the credit is limited to $500,000 per year, but any unused funds can be carried over for five years, White said. She said she's open to changes to that cap or the carryover language if the committee feels the amounts are too high. The federal credit that's already in place covers 25% of total expenses related to child care services or benefits, and up to 10% of the resource and referral expenses, for a total credit capped at $150,000 per year. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX It's a heavy lift for businesses, White argued, since they must spend at least $600,000 to be able to get the full benefit, if they're aware of it at all. 'People don't know about this credit, they don't quite understand how to utilize it,' White said. '…But the other thing is it doesn't help if you, as a business, want to give a stipend for your employee, it doesn't cover that as a tax credit, so this gives employers more options so that they can actually take advantage of it.' H.B. 167 also allows non-profits to utilize the tax credit, unlike the federal credit, White said. The measure comes amid ongoing discussions about the state of child care, and how the economy is affected by a lack of access and affordability for the services in Ohio. Child care 'deserts' exist in Ohio where no services are available for children, and data from the Ohio Department of Children and Youth estimate 40,000 children in the state aren't eligible for Publicly Funded Child Care, meaning they don't receive state assistance to pay for the services. On top of those problems, low pay and high turnover in the child care sector means even if child care exists, the workforce shortages reduce capacity at facilities. White cited recent research by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that found Ohio is losing $5.48 billion every year in economic activity because of 'insufficient child care,' including $1.52 billion in tax revenue and $3.97 billion in losses related to child care employee turnover and absenteeism. 'The business community, our families, are looking for solutions, and this is a solution,' White said. The bill sponsor also echoed comments by ODCY director Kara Wente in supporting the Child Care Choice Voucher Program, which subsidizes child care for those who fall outside the Publicly Funded Child Care eligibility of 145% of the federal poverty line. This is certainly not the first time White has pushed for more child care supports. A bill she co-sponsored establishing child care grant programs for employers was passed last month by the House committee she chairs, the Children and Human Services Committee. State support for child care is uncertain as it is, with the state operating budget draft being drawn up by the Ohio Senate, after the Ohio House finalized its own draft last month. The House's version added $50 million to the Child Care Choice Voucher Program for each of the next two fiscal years, taking from federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant funding. Despite a proposal by Gov. Mike DeWine to increase the Publicly Funded Child Care eligibility to 160% of the federal poverty line, the House budget draft maintained the 145% level, which Wente said is the lowest eligibility level in the country. Also included in House budget proposal is language originally included in separate legislation, which would create a cost-sharing model for child care, in which the state, employers and employees would all pay a percentage of costs. In a hearing earlier this month, the House Children and Human Services Committee passed the original bill with language they said harmonizes the bill with the budget proposal details. In House Bill 2, the state would pay 20% of the costs, and employers and employees would each pay 40%. During the hearing, however, two Republicans on the committee put concerns on the record about H.B. 2 and White's child care grant program bill, House Bill 41. State Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur, R-Ashtabula, voted against both bills, saying she had 'concerns about the state subsidizing child care going forward.' State Rep. Tracy Richardson, R-Marysville, voted in favor of both bills but said the House Finance Committee may have to work on at least House Bill 2, 'maybe look at perhaps some potential reduction in overall funding.' On H.B. 41, Richardson said the finance committee 'should take a closer look at the overall appropriation.' The Senate is currently working on their own draft, on line for an end-of-June deadline for both chambers to reconcile each of their budget drafts and get a final budget to the governor for signature. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New law allows hunters to wear a new safety color in Georgia
ATLANTA (WSAV) — Georgia hunters can add a new color to their closet other than camo and neon orange, thanks to a new law. House Bill 167 was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday. HB 167 allows Georgia hunters to wear fluorescent pink as an outer safety garment, if they'd rather opt out of the typical orange. When hunting deer, boar or bears, Georgia requires hunters and those accompanying hunters to wear daylight fluorescent orange, or fluorescent pink, during firearm seasons. The clothing still has to be worn above the waistline and has to be at least 500 square inches of the fluorescent colors. This includes head coverings. You can read the full bill below: HB-167Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Free high school equivalency tests coming soon in New Mexico
New Mexico will soon offer free high school equivalency tests to qualifying residents. (Getty Images) One hurdle to achieving a high school equivalency certificate will be removed next month when the New Mexico Higher Education Department starts providing free tests to qualifying residents. House Bill 167, sponsored by Rep. Joy Garratt (D-Albuquerque), requires the state department to waive test costs for New Mexico residents who are at least 16; are not enrolled in secondary school; do not have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; and who have passed an official practice test showing they are likely to pass the official test. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the bill on April 7, making New Mexico the fifth state in the country to offer residents free equivalency tests. The bill goes into effect on June 20. Auriella Ortiz, spokesperson for the Higher Education Department, told Source NM in a written statement that removing the 'financial burden' of tests is expected to increase test participation by 20% or more over the next three years. She added that the state has seen a nearly 50% increase in people taking high school equivalency tests since 2021. Tests can cost more than $145 dollars per test, including fees for the test itself as well as proctoring. 'The passage of House Bill 167 will have a huge impact for our residents and allow them a pathway to basic education and potentially a pathway to higher education at New Mexico's colleges and universities,' Ortiz wrote. 'This legislation removes obstacles that will positively impact tens of thousands of New Mexicans.' Ortiz explained that the department currently has an ad hoc voucher program to provide free tests to New Mexicans, but there are still some barriers present. She said New Mexicans who earn a high school diploma or equivalent credential earn $6,465 more annually than those without. 'We should note that, given the average increase in salary just mentioned, the free testing system will pay for itself each year in income tax alone. It's a win for the state,' Ortiz wrote. 'Just as we have invested in tuition-free college and a trained workforce, a program of free high school equivalency tests for all New Mexicans in need is part of our state's continued push for a strong economy.' Rio Rancho Public Schools Communications Director Wyndham Kemsley told Source NM in an email that while the district is not directly involved in high school equivalency testing, its officials are pleased that the state is expanding access to credentials. 'While the main priority of RRPS is to help our students attain high school diplomas through traditional routes, widening access to high school equivalency testing will undoubtedly benefit our state's workforce,' he wrote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Hampshire Legislature Moves to Ban Harmful Ski Wax
New Hampshire's legislators have moved to introduce a bill banning the use of PFAS. PFAS, or polyfluoroalkyl substances are a class of synthetic chemicals used to make products water-resistant. Recent research has linked the use of PFAS to negative health affects such as cancer, high cholesterol, reproductive issues, and more. The outdoor industry specifically has made moves away from PFAS in recent years. Products like Gore-Tex released a PFAS free membrane in 2022, and have continued to phase PFAS products out of their lines. Nicknamed the "forever chemical", PFAS are know to stay in the environment for an especially long time also making them a significant environmental risk. According to an article about the incoming New Hampshire bill, research published in 2023 showed that roughly two-thirds of surveyed skiers and snowboarders use ski wax products that contain PFAS. As skis waxed with PFAS products slide through snow, little pieces of wax can be pulled out of a ski base and into the snowpack. When that snowpack melts, these chemicals are distributed into the watershed and surrounding to keep up with the best stories and photos in skiing? Subscribe to the new Powder To The People newsletter for weekly updates. The introduced bill, House Bill 167, which will reach the House on Wednesday, April 2, bans ski, boat, and board waxes that intentionally contain PFAS from being sold in the state. Last year, the state passed a bill that bans a range of consumer products that contain PFAS from being sold starting in 2027. The current bill would tack ski wax onto that list. The Department of Environmental Services have identified concerning levels of PFOS, a type of PFAS in five water bodies in southern New Hampshire. The levels detected have prompted the state to recommend people limit consumption of fish from these water bodies. The House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee unanimously recommended the passing of the bill, with a 15-0 vote. This vote means that in all likelihood, the House will approve the bill without much discussion. New Hampshire isn't the only state to introduce legislation banning the use of these harmful chemicals. Colorado, Vermont, and Minnesota have all taken similar steps to band the sale and use of ski wax with PFAS. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation has also outlawed the use of fluorinated ski wax in competition. Luckily, there are high quality ski waxes on the market that don't contain PFAS. Notably, Mountain Flow Eco Wax came on the scene with a line of PFAS free, plant-based ski waxes. Since then, the company has also released a line of environmentally friendly bike cleaning products and chain lubes, and an Infrared Waxer that eliminates the scraping process of ski waxing entirely. Swix has also worked to eliminate PFAS from not just their ski waxes, but also from their apparel products. Since 2022, Swix has been making PFAS-free ski waxes and by 2025, the brand aims to be 100% PFAS free.
